During her early days in the Georgia House of
Representatives, Cynthia McKinney occasionally sparred with her father,
also a Democratic state lawmaker, on several issues, including sodomy. Cynthia wanted to repeal the Peach State’s
longstanding sodomy statute; Billy McKinney, whom his daughter
affectionately called a Neanderthal and a homophobe, opposed legalizing
sodomy. That’s pretty much the skinny on Cynthia
McKinney: No issue is too uncomfortable, no viewpoint too controversial. Aside from her history-making feats of becoming the
first African-American woman elected to the Georgia House, in 1988, and
representing half of the first father-daughter legislative tandem in the
state’s history, McKinney has had a legislative career marked by
controversies. Shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, she
intimated that President George W. Bush’s administration may have
been complicit in the bombings and later described her own party as
“the white, rich Democratic boys’ club” whose members wanted her
“to stay in the back of the bus.” After losing her seat in Congress and regaining it in 2006,
McKinney made headlines for socking a U.S. Capitol security officer, whom
McKinney accused of racially profiling her. In 2007, she left the
Democratic Party. McKinney, 53, brings her brassy brand of politics to
the first state to decriminalize sodomy, in 1962, this weekend, when she is
expected to receive the Green Party nomination for the presidency. Her task is formidable, however. McKinney’s
fundraising committee has just $42,273 on hand as of March 31. Her chief
rivals, Democratic U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and Republican U.S.
Sen. John McCain of Arizona, meanwhile, each raised approximately $21
million in May alone. Nevertheless, Sangamon County Green Party chairman
Marc Sanson believes that McKinney is the right person to take the party to
the next level. “She’s the first Green Party presidential
candidate who’s run several successful campaigns,” Sanson says.
“I think she’ll be a fantastic candidate.”
The convention begins today, Thursday, July 10. In
addition to McKinney and 2006 Illinois Green Party gubernatorial candidate
Rich Whitney, scheduled speakers include former Black Panther Party member
Malik Rahim, Voices in the Wilderness co-founder Kathy Kelly, Green Party
candidate for the Illinois 4th House Congressional District Omar Lopez,
Massachusetts physician Jill Stein, and Connecticut Green Party
gubernatorial hopeful
Cliff Thornton Jr. Sanson, who will attend with four fellow Springfield
Greens, says that in addition to a reception for members of Green parties
from around the world and a presidential candidate forum — both
hosted by Whitney — he’s looking forward to attending party
business meetings. “Most Greens — and most voters —
realize the opportunity for developing at the state and local level is our
best way to go forward,” he says.
Contact R.L. Nave at rnave@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Jul 3-9, 2008.
